celestial object
Thing in space
A celestial object is anything in space beyond Earth's atmosphere—stars, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, galaxies.
The term appears in astronomy and science writing when discussing what telescopes observe or spacecraft visit: The Hubble telescope has photographed thousands of celestial objects.
Celestial body means the same thing.
Curved celestial path
- revolutionViolent governmental overthrow
- trajectoryPath of moving object
- ellipseConic section curve
- geosynchronousOrbiting at planetary rotation speed
geostationary · inclination · eccentricity · perihelion · aphelion · gravitational pull · satellite · moon
Luminous astronomical object
- sunEarth's primary star
- red giantAged star with cooled, expanded envelope
- white dwarfExhausted star's compact corpse
- neutron starUltradense stellar remnant
pulsar · magnetar · main sequence · binary star · supergiant · brown dwarf · protostar · stellar nursery
Complete system or domain
- galaxyGravitationally bound stellar mass
- nebulaInterstellar gas formation
- quasarLuminous active galactic core
- supernovaExploding massive star
black hole · dark matter · dark energy · big bang · interstellar · space-time · singularity · cosmic rays
Star-orbiting spherical body
- terrestrial planetSolid-surfaced world of rock
- gas giantHydrogen-helium planetary body
- ice giantLarge frigid outer planet
- dwarf planetMinor spherical solar orbiter
exoplanet · habitable zone · rocky planet · rings · atmosphere · rotation · axial tilt · Pluto
Burning debris in atmosphere
- fireballLuminous meteor or explosion
- bolideDetonating meteor, very bright
- meteoroidSmall body in space
- meteoriteSpace debris reaching Earth
meteor shower · Perseids · Geminids · space rock · falling star · streak · trail · crater
Instrument magnifying faraway objects
- observatoryFacility for celestial study
- astrophysicsPhysics of celestial bodies
- astronomerCelestial bodies researcher
- cosmologyStudy of universal structure
spectroscopy · Hubble · light-year · space exploration · magnitude · parallax · ephemeris · transit
orbit
Curved celestial path
- revolutionViolent governmental overthrow
- trajectoryPath of moving object
- ellipseConic section curve
geosynchronous · geostationary · inclination · eccentricity · perihelion · aphelion · gravitational pull · satellite · moon · binary system
star
Luminous astronomical object
- sunEarth's primary star
- red giantAged star with cooled, expanded envelope
- white dwarfExhausted star's compact corpse
neutron star · pulsar · magnetar · main sequence · binary star · supergiant · brown dwarf · protostar · stellar nursery · fusion
universe
Complete system or domain
- galaxyGravitationally bound stellar mass
- nebulaInterstellar gas formation
- quasarLuminous active galactic core
supernova · black hole · dark matter · dark energy · big bang · interstellar · space-time · singularity · cosmic rays · redshift
planet
Star-orbiting spherical body
- terrestrial planetSolid-surfaced world of rock
- gas giantHydrogen-helium planetary body
- ice giantLarge frigid outer planet
dwarf planet · exoplanet · habitable zone · rocky planet · rings · atmosphere · rotation · axial tilt · Pluto · Ceres
shooting star
Burning debris in atmosphere
- fireballLuminous meteor or explosion
- bolideDetonating meteor, very bright
- meteoroidSmall body in space
meteorite · meteor shower · Perseids · Geminids · space rock · falling star · streak · trail · crater · impact
telescope
Instrument magnifying faraway objects
- observatoryFacility for celestial study
- astrophysicsPhysics of celestial bodies
- astronomerCelestial bodies researcher
cosmology · spectroscopy · Hubble · light-year · space exploration · magnitude · parallax · ephemeris · transit · occultation
divine
Of or from gods
- etherealDelicate beyond earthly measure
- heavenlyDivinely pleasant or blissful
- angelicDivinely pure and good
transcendent · sacred · firmament · astral · empyrean · paradise · immortal · eternal · glorified · venerated